Source: neurosciencenews.com | Repost Duerson Fund 5/18/2022 –
A recently published study by Houston Methodist scientists suggests telltale signs of concussions might be found in the gut. By taking blood, stool and saliva samples from 33 Rice University football players, the researchers were able to examine the diagnostic potential of the gut’s microbiome.
They say their findings demonstrate that a simple, objective diagnostic test could be developed to track the impact of concussions and signal when it’s safe to return to action.
The findings of this study are described in a paper titled “Alterations to the gut microbiome after sport-related concussion in a collegiate football players cohort: A pilot study” appearing in the May issue of Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health, a peer-reviewed journal of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society with an emphasis on research that has translational impact and clinical implications. Sonia Villapol, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Center for Neuroregeneration in the Houston Methodist Research Institute, is the corresponding author on the study.
While brain movement within the skull may cause injury to nerve cells, such microscopic cellular injuries are not visible on imaging tests like X-rays, CT scans and MRIs, which are more capable of finding injuries on the scale of skull fractures, brain bleeding or swelling.